Spectra Wiring Question

W4KTL · Post by **W4KTL** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:31 pm

I've already done a forum search and couldn't find an answer. I just purchased a VHF Spectra (45 watt version) with remote head. On the trunk mount unit next to the ant connector there is another connector (DB15 I think). Coming out of this connector are the speaker wires, plus a red wire. Does this red wire connect to 12V pos?

Also, at the remote end of the connecting cable there is another DB15 that is pigtailed. No place on my remote head for this. Is this used for programming or for a second control head?

Thanks for helping a noobie out!

Mrbmw99 · Post by **Mrbmw99** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:45 pm

The red wire coming out of the DB15 connector on the radio chassis should be your 12v ignition sense wire. The second DB15 up near the head unit is simply an extension of the one on the chassis I believe. You can treat it the same. You can pull your speaker audio out of it and hook up the 12v ign wire to it. Brett W

W4KTL · Post by **W4KTL** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:00 am

Thanks!

wx4cbh · Post by **wx4cbh** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:38 am

On a remote mount midpower unit like that, the rear DB15 can go unused. The control head end of the remote cable has the green and orange wires and the speaker pair. Orange to ignition or a switch, green to the battery. Motorola is adamant about the green wire being attached to the same voltage source point as the large red wire on all their radios equipped as such. The rear DB can still be used for other accessory functions, as can the VIP portion of the control head connector.

Post by **akardam** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:20 pm

You're talking about the newer, X9000 style cables. He's referring to the older style Spectra cable, which has only the one small gauge red ignition sense wire. With the newer cable you have to use the orange/green and speaker connector near the head. With the older cable you can put it in either position, but it makes more sense to put the speaker and igsense lead near the head because the body'll likely be in the trunk or somewhere out of the way.

wx4cbh · Post by **wx4cbh** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 6:43 pm

akardam 1, wx4cbh 0. I Shoulda been better at speed reading posts.

W4KTL · Post by **W4KTL** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:14 pm

Thanks all, I got everything wired up but the unit won't power up. I checked the power connection & DB15 with a voltmeter and it's good. The seller is sending me a UPS call tag to pick up and exchange. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

K0DEN · Post by **K0DEN** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 11:24 pm

did you check the fuses? i know it seems like a moot question, but sometimes the most experienced forget something that simple

W4KTL · Post by **W4KTL** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 4:05 am

Yeah, I sure did. Wish it had been something simple. Waiting now on the UPS pickup tag to arrive.

Jim202 · Post by **Jim202** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:37 pm

Maybe you know and maybe you don't, but you need +12 volt power on the TX PA cable feed in order for the radio to turn on.

I found that out the hard way myself some time back.

Jim

[quote="W4KTL"]Yeah, I sure did. Wish it had been something simple. Waiting now on the UPS pickup tag to arrive.[/quote]